Home  News National News 'No Match, No Vote'
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Sunday, 21 September 2008 |
With an October 6 deadline to register to vote in the November 4 General Elections, Florida’s enforcement of the ‘No Match, No Vote’ law which began this month could have serious repercussions, especially for minority groups.
The verification law or ‘No Match, No Vote’, enforced on September 8, stipulates that Floridians identifications have to match up with state or federal databases to be able to register to vote. What this means is that names, social security numbers, license numbers and other such information must be a perfect match for persons to register.
The only slight consolation for Florida voters who fall in the no match, no vote trap is that they will be able to vote with a provisional ballot and have two days to confirm their identity by producing a valid Florida driver’s license, a social security card or identification card to election officials for their vote to count.
Those who support the law see it as necessary to prevent voter fraud, but those who oppose the law say it might disenfranchise voters. According to Lauderhill Commissioner, Dale Holness, “There’s more suppression of votes than there is voter fraud and every time we turn around the Republicans are looking for new ways to suppress votes.”
Holness is not alone in his theory, and that it comes at a time when there are record voter registration on the Democratic side, especially among Blacks, some of whom may have issues with the match-up, it does seem curious.
The law, which was passed in 2006 and halted by a court ruling in 2007, was enforced when the state won its appeal in 2008. But, the year 2000 has not been forgotten by Blacks for whom nearly 1 in 7 votes did not count in Florida. With that and new reports of Republicans in Michigan threatening to use foreclosure lists to block people from voting and reports that John McCain's campaign has sent confusing or incorrect absentee ballot request forms to voters in at least 10 states including Florida, it is understandable that voters, especially minority groups are wary of the newly enforced law.
According to Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter, the law could be a deterrent to minority voters. However she said, “Obama’s Campaign has already dispatched hundreds of lawyers across the country, especially in states like Florida and Ohio where there have been voter fraud, to ensure that when people go to the polls for early voting or on election day poll workers will follow the law, that no one will be turned away and that provisional ballots will be explained to voters.”
When the National Weekly contacted the Broward Supervisor of Elections office, Public Services Director Mary Coonay told us the law could definitely affect voters, but they are doing everything they can to ensure that voters know and adhere to the law. She said anyone who has registered before September 8, when the law was enforced and were unable to accurately complete their applications, could be affected.
“If there is a voter who doesn’t [match up] we are required to contact the voter and provide them with the information as to why they didn’t match and require them to provide proof or documentation that they are that person,” Coonay told the National Weekly.
But she said depending on the problem with their identity, “Each voter’s case is going to be different from the next.”
The law, some argue, also opens doors for voters being disenfranchised due to typos and other data entry mishaps. According to Myrna Perez, counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, "Voters who do everything right, who submit forms that are complete, timely, and accurate, will suddenly find themselves unregistered when they go to vote, just because someone somewhere punched the wrong letter on a keyboard."
Coonay said, however, the onus is on the voters to ensure that their information matches the one in the state of federal database.
Commissioner Holness advises voters that “They need to double check their information and ensure that when they sign their signature it is the way they usually sign.” But, he sternly said regardless of the situation, “Don’t hesitate to register to vote.”
While the law in and of itself is not entirely frowned upon, as it is geared to prevent voter fraud, it is the timing of the enforcement so close to the registration deadlines that have some advocates and opponents up in arms.
What this means is that eligible persons who have not yet registered, should do so immediately and ensure that they have met all the requirements to make their vote count come November 4.
Commissioner Ritter suggests that voters check with the supervisor of elections in their respective counties to ensure that their information is correct.
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